above left, top to bottom: Supermarkets offer an array of different departments to work in, such as cooking classes with teenagers and adults.above right: Publix’s aprons Cooking School program serves nine different markets, helping customers improve their cooking skills and provide home-cooked meals.responsibilitiesThere are many different areas in the supermarket culinarystructure within which to work, ranging from manufacturingto corporate to retail. Most supermarket companies have abrigade system similar to that of a professional kitchen. Theremay be slight differences in positions based on size and range ofdepartments, but there are executive chefs, chefs de cuisine, souschefs, pastry chefs, sauciers, garde mangers, butchers, fry chefs,grill chefs and others.

Recently, Tim Donnelly, corporate chef, Publix corporate
offices, Lakeland, Fla., was in the middle of opening Publix’s
newest cooking school, Aprons, prepping and cooking pork
dumplings for customers to sample. He also works closely with
a recipe development staff on deli items, rotisserie and salads, as
well as piloting a catering area.

“I’m allowed to help people expand their culinary repertoirewith Publix’s Aprons Cooking School and Simple Mealsprograms by teaching them techniques and using ingredientsthat are new to them,” Donnelly says. “With our deli and otherfresh departments, I’m able to participate in introducing new andexciting finished products for our customers to take home.”Working in the supermarket arena can be rewarding, withseveral perks. Whereas a restaurant chef might work 10-12hours a day, six days a week, for moderate pay and, possibly, nobenefits, H-E-B’s Kelly works 40 hours a week, receives up tofive weeks of paid vacation, a salary in the mid-50s, quarterlybonuses, full medical benefits, a retirement savings accountand many holidays off. “I get to live a pretty normal familylife,” she says.

opportunitiesSupermarkets offer an array of different departments inwhich to work and areas in which to cook. “Once a chef, alwaysa chef,” says Berardi. “I suit up and put an apron on every day.”Publix’s in-store service, “Aprons Simple Meals,” helpscustomers provide home-cooked meals for their families. Therecipes are quick and easy with minimal cleanup. There is also arecipe program in the meat/seafood and produce departments tohelp customers prepare unfamiliar ingredients. Publix’s ApronsCooking School helps customers improve their cooking skills withclasses such as Basic Knife Skills and Pasta, Risotto and Gnocchi.